[Benefits and risks of bariatric surgery]

The rapid increase of morbid obesity has become an important task in the Western world in recent years. Since conservative treatments have failed to prove sufficient efficacy, surgery has turned out to be the most powerful option in treating morbid obesity. In this paper, the different surgical techniques with their advantages and drawbacks are presented. In general, there are restrictive, malabsorptive and combinations of both procedures available. The adjustable gastric banding (Figure 1) represents a purely restrictive operation. It is useful for patients with a relatively low body mass index (BMI) and a good understanding and control of their eating habits. By contrast, the duodenal switch (Figure 2) stands for a mainly malabsorptive procedure that might be indicated in patients with a very high BMI. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (Figure 3) is the most widely used bariatric procedure worldwide. It combines restriction and malabsorption. Today, almost two thirds of all bariatric procedures are performed laparoscopically, which has further enhanced the use of surgery in the treatment of morbid obesity. In conclusion, the treatment of morbid obesity represents a significant challenge in the Western world, and bariatric surgery plays a paramount role in the fight against overweight.